Shahid Afridi plants news seeds of separation in Pakistan team, calls for PCB to sack Shaheen Afridi as T20 captain

Former captain Shahid Afridi has suggested that Pakistan should undergo thorough preparations leading up to the T20 World Cup 2024. Shahid Afridi has urged for consistent captaincy across all formats to enhance the team without making unnecessary changes.

The Men in Green failed to make an impact in recent multinational cricket tournaments. The Pakistan team didn’t advance to the final of the Asia Cup 2023 and delivered a below-par performance in the ODI World Cup 2023, finishing in fifth place in the ICC Tournament.

After the ODI World Cup, Babar Azam stepped down from the captaincy across all formats. Shan Masood took over the reins for Tests, while Shaheen Afridi assumed leadership in the T20I side. Mohammad Hafeez took on the role of director of cricket, and Wahab Riaz became the head of the national selection committee.

Unfortunately, the leadership changes failed to yield positive results. The team suffered a 0-3 whitewash in the Test series against Australia and faced setbacks in the five-game T20I series in New Zealand, losing the first four matches. However, they managed to secure a victory in the last game, bringing an end to their losing streak.

There Should Be Only One Captain In Every Format – Shahid Afridi

Speaking to media in Karachi, Shahid Afridi emphasized the need to view the T20 World Cup 2024 beyond just the match against India. Afridi underscored the importance of maintaining the existing team combination and having a single captain across all formats.

The former Pakistan all-rounder emphasized that senior players should bear the responsibilities in the upcoming World Cup. Afridi dismissed the notion of separate captains for different formats, asserting that a single captain should lead the national cricket team.

The 46-year-old criticized the idea of vice-captaincy, supporting a unified and stable leadership structure to promote team cohesion and success. He emphasized that adopting a single captaincy concept would put an end to the ongoing disputes on this matter.

Shahid Afridi emphasized a persistent issue of poor fielding within the Pakistan cricket team. However, he suggested the team should focus not only on fielding but also on bowling and batting aspects. He expressed disappointment that Pakistan did not function cohesively as a unit, resulting in missed opportunities in recent international series.

Pakistan Schedule For ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Pakistan will begin its campaign against the USA in Dallas, followed by a highly anticipated match against arch-rivals India in New York. The Men in Green will face Canada and Ireland in their last two matches of the tournament on June 11 and 16, respectively.

Pakistan reached the semifinals and finished as runners-up in the last two seasons of the T20 World Cups under the leadership of Babar Azam. However, they faltered in crucial matches, failing to secure victory. It’s worth noting that they clinched the T20 World Cup in 2009.

June 6 – Pakistan vs USA – Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas

June 9 – India vs Pakistan – Citi Field, New York

June 11 – Pakistan vs Canada – Citi Field, New York

June 16 – Pakistan vs Ireland – Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas

Also read: PAK vs AUS: ‘Wanted Mohammad Rizwan To Be Pakistan’s T20I Captain But Shaheen…’- Shahid Afridi